Wood-splitting machine



Patented Au". 8, 1922.v

2 SHEETS-SHEET luws/vrm? Ali. Treat,

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS A. R. TREAT.

WOOD SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1921.

1 ,42 5298. I Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTOR/VEYS 'UNITED STATES ARTHUR BALIH TREAT, or GYPSUM, KANSAS.

Team-F woons'rmr'rmo itaon nn- T aZZ whom it may concern) Be it knownthat LARTHUR it. TREAT, a

citizen of the UnitedStates, and alresident of Gypsum, in the county ofSaline and Machines, of which the following is s ect fication. y u

This invention relates to wood splitting machines and has for its objectto provide novel means whereby the ax or splitting member maybe elevatedand subsequently released so as to'drop force of'gravity on.

- ment of the axis limited. However, by reato t'he'wood andthereby'split the same;

Further, the invention aims to provide novel means whereby theblow-struckby the ax is cushioned so that the machine will not beunnecessarily strained. I

A further object is to provide a machine of the class described which isefficient in use,

durable and cheap to manufacture. e Other objects and advantages of theinvention will be apparent during the course of the followingdescription.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevatio-nof the im-' proved wood splitting machine,4

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view through a power transmitting wheel.I

In the drawings the numeral 5 designates a base upon which a source ofpower 6 in the nature of an internal combustion engine is mounted, thesaid engine having connection with a belt 7 trained about a powertransmitting wheel 8. As illustrated inFigure 2 the power transmittingwheel 8 is mounted upon a cross shaft 9 rotatably carried by bearings10supported by brackets 11.

A power wheel 12 is carried by a shaft 13 mounted in bearings 14supported by the brackets or standards 11 and the said wheel 12 isprovided with a laterally projecting crank pin 15 to which a flexibleelement 16 is connected. The flexible element 16 is trained about apulley 17 rotatably connect ed to the upper end of a U-shaped' guideSpecification of Letters Patent. 7 Pfitgnfgd Aug; 8, 1922; ApplicationfiledJ'ul y 13,1921. Serial No. 484,463. I

ence to Figure 1 it willbe observed that: the I the inner sides of theupstandingportions 19 of the guide frame 18.. H

' The action of the an is cushioned by means ends of the head 20 areprovided with, I grooved bear ngmembers 25 which receive of a pair ofstout coil springs 27 arranged at the lower portions of the sides 19immediatelybelow inwardly extending stop elements 28 arrangedin thepathof travelof the head 20. When the head 20 moves downwardly it-engagesthe inwardly extending son of the coil springs27 the ax 20. movesdownwardly to a slight extentv aft-er the .ens

- gagement of the head with the stop elements and thereby splits thewood.

The power transmitting wheel 12 is provided with a semi-circular seriesof laterally projecting roller pins 30 with which the teeth of asprocket wheel 31 are adapted to be engaged whereby the sprocket wheelis operatively connected to the power wheel 12.

In operation, the sprocket wheel 31 is ro- 'tated in one direction andby reason of its engagement with the roller pins 30 causes the wheel 12to be rotated for elevating the are When one end of the series oflaterally 'proj ectingpins passes the sprocket wheel the drivingconnection between the wheel 31 and the wheel 12 is broken whereupon theax 21 dropsand splits the wood. When the ax reaches the limit of itsdownward movement "the series of pins are again engagedwith the sprocketWheel so that the driving conneotion between the sprocket wheel 31 andthe wheel 12 is renewed.

The laterally projecting pins 30 at one end of the series of pins areyieldably held in position by means of a coil spring 36 attached to therim of the wheel 12 by means of a fastening device 37. As illustrated inFigure 3 the yieldably mounted pins are provided 'with shanks 38slidable through slots 39 in the rim of the wheel. This constructionpermits the first-pins 30 to be moved outwardly 1 to a limited degree sothat the sprocket wheel will be engaged with the pins without unthe'woodplaced upon the block 24 is split to the desired size by the action ofthe ax 21.

The operation of the ax may be stopped at any time by bringing areleasing lever to into engagement with one of the pins 30. Thereleasing lever 40 is operated by means of a link 41 having connectionwith one branch of a bell crank foot pedal a2 ar' ranged adjacent theblock 24; so that the same may be readily operated.

As clearly illustrated in Figurelthe lever 410 is engaged with one ofthe pins after the ins 30 have moved out of engagement with the teeth ofthe sprocket wheel. The operator can conveniently engage the lever withthe pins at the proper moment by waiting until the pins 30 have passedout of en gagement with the sprocket wheel.

A simple and. equally effective method of engaging the lever i0 with oneof the pins 30 is by manually rotating the wheel 12 until the desiredpoint is reached and then depressing the pedal a2 so that the lever l0will be elevated and engaged with one of the pins.

hen it is desired to stop the operation of the machine without stoppingthe motor the foot pedal 42- is operated for bringing the lever intolocking engagement with the pins '30.

I claim I l. A machine comprising a power gear, a mutilated gear havingan arcuate series of teeth adapted" for engagement with said power gear,a toolhaving a flexible element connected to said mutilated gear andforming a means whereby to elevate the tool, the line of pull on saidflexible element being mova-ble across the axis of said mutilated gearwhereby the initial downward movement of said tool moves the arcuateseries of teeth into engagement with said power gear,

member.

ARTHUR RALPH TREAT.

